Phlebotomus argentipes is the vector of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) in the Indian subcontinent. A specific feature that distinguishes it from other sandflies of public health importance is:
- A It transmits disease only at night as it is strictly nocturnal
- B It has spotted wings due to characteristic wing pattern
- C It breeds exclusively in water-logged paddy fields
- D It holds its wings erect at 45° to the body (V-shape), unlike mosquitoes or midges ✓
Explanation
Phlebotomus (sandfly) species are identified by their characteristic resting posture: wings held erect at approximately 45° to the body in a V-shape, giving a distinctive appearance different from mosquitoes (wings folded flat) or Culicoides midges. Sandflies are small (2–3 mm), hairy, and are active during dusk and night (crepuscular/nocturnal). They breed in damp organic debris, crevices, and soil — not in standing water. P. argentipes is the established vector of Leishmania donovani in Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and neighbouring regions targeted under NVBDCP's kala-azar elimination programme.
Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.